Elastic composites are commonly incorporated into products (e.g., diapers, training pants, garments, etc.) to improve their ability to better fit the contours of the body. For example, the elastic composite may be formed from an elastic film and a nonwoven facing. The nonwoven facing may be joined to the elastic film while the film is in a stretched condition so that the nonwoven facing can gather and form “pleats” between the locations where it is bonded to the film when it is retracted. The resulting elastic composite is stretchable to the extent that the pleats allow the elastic film to elongate. Although imparting elasticity to the composite, such pleats are often irregular in frequency and amplitude. When attempting to print onto such an irregular surface, ink transfer may occur at both the “peaks” and “valleys” of the pleats, which reduces the surface area available for printing and thus reduces print quality. While the small fiber size of meltblown facings can allow for some improvement in print quality, such facings normally possess insufficient durability for use in printing applications.
As such, a need currently exists for an elastic composite that is sufficiently durable and that has a surface suitable for printing.